Arm injury update #3...News not good...in need of advice

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Jul 19, 2014
2,390
48
Madison, WI
Thank you for the get well wishes, Bob. My family and I are opting for the second opinion. If surgery is unavoidable or will give the best results, I'm going to get the surgery. I figured my thinking was right. I needed it confirmed.

I'll take the advice to heart and do everything they ask of me while I recover. I want to come back as strong as before the injury...if not stronger. I'm starting to research sports therapist to see what's available in my area...but again I'll probably go to Philadelphia for that, too.

You say about having a plate in your arm and not being able to feel it or the screws. What happened that you needed plates and screws installed in your arm? What was your op like? What was your pre and post op like? We're you able to feel the plates and screws at first? If so, what did it feel like and how long did it take for that feeling to go away?

A few years ago, I tried to get more exercise, especially bike riding. For a while I was riding to work, about 5 miles each way by bike, and on the weekends my wife and I would bike downtown to the farmers' market (the Saturday farmers' market is the largest in the country). We took a tandem bike, and filled up the basket with food. On the way home we temporarily left Madison for the city of Fitchburg. When we were less than 2 miles from home, we went down a hill too fast. There was a curve from a road to a bike trail. On one side was a big ditch. To prevent from going into the ditch, I turned the tandem sharply the other way, which crashed the bike. My wife was smart enough to keep her hands on the handlebars. She was scraped up a bit, but didn't need treatment. I instinctively tried to break the fall with my left arm. Instead, my left arm snapped, breaking both bones, and messing up my wrist bones as well. One of the cops who came to the scene was a friend, so he was nice and took out bike home and explained the situation to our kids, while my wife accompanied me to the hospital.

A little later I had to have surgery on my arm. It wasn't that bad. I never noticed the plate and screws at all.

I don't have 100% motion in my arm, but, since I did the exercises, I came very, very close. I find that the sort of wrist snap used in a peel drop ball loosens up my wrist a bit, and makes it feel better. My wrist is still stiff, and always will be.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
I was just looking at the carton of almond milk while eating some eggs and my milk has 25℅ of my daily allowance of vitamin d and 45℅ of my daily allowance of calcium. We haven't drank regular milk in over two years since we discovered my sister does not process regular milk well. My mom and I have to go to Walgreen's in a little bit anyway because I have to pick up some more multivitamin and immunity booster. I'll pick up some calcium and vitamin d supplement. What dose would be recommended?

I am not qualified to answer questions about dosages and would suggest you ask the doctor when you go for the second opinion or a follow up visit.

I usually just buy whatever is on sale, you cannot overdose on vitamin D or calcium.
 
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softgabby

Gear Empress
Mar 10, 2016
1,073
83
Just behind home plate
A few years ago, I tried to get more exercise, especially bike riding. For a while I was riding to work, about 5 miles each way by bike, and on the weekends my wife and I would bike downtown to the farmers' market (the Saturday farmers' market is the largest in the country). We took a tandem bike, and filled up the basket with food. On the way home we temporarily left Madison for the city of Fitchburg. When we were less than 2 miles from home, we went down a hill too fast. There was a curve from a road to a bike trail. On one side was a big ditch. To prevent from going into the ditch, I turned the tandem sharply the other way, which crashed the bike. My wife was smart enough to keep her hands on the handlebars. She was scraped up a bit, but didn't need treatment. I instinctively tried to break the fall with my left arm. Instead, my left arm snapped, breaking both bones, and messing up my wrist bones as well. One of the cops who came to the scene was a friend, so he was nice and took out bike home and explained the situation to our kids, while my wife accompanied me to the hospital.

A little later I had to have surgery on my arm. It wasn't that bad. I never noticed the plate and screws at all.

I don't have 100% motion in my arm, but, since I did the exercises, I came very, very close. I find that the sort of wrist snap used in a peel drop ball loosens up my wrist a bit, and makes it feel better. My wrist is still stiff, and always will be.

That sounds like it was a nasty crash. I'm still nervous to get operated on...but I feel a little more at ease because I know I'll be able to return to playing sports. You say you still don't have 100% motion in your arm. Is that from the plate and screws or is it from the wrist injury? I'll be happy if I'm able to return to playing at the same level I was before the injury.
 

softgabby

Gear Empress
Mar 10, 2016
1,073
83
Just behind home plate
DD developed scoliosis at around 12 years old. Doctor tried having her wear a back brace to keep it in place for around a year. No luck. Her surgery was what the doctor classified as a "major surgery", was suppose to be done in 5-7 hours. She was done and out in around 4. Doctor said her spine was easily manipulated because she is an athlete so it did not take as long. She was in ICU for the first day/night of surgery, and out of the hospital after four days. The first month post op was really rough for her and she basically had to learn to sit up, walk, and everything again. DD is stubborn as heck(from her mother) and was in school within two weeks of surgery. She did not want to miss her first day of freshman year. DD was lucky and did not experience much pain at all after the first month or so, and now is back to running around like nothing even happened.

Good luck with your arm. Hope everything goes well for you.

Oh, wow. That would be something to find out you have scoliosis. Was she in a lot of pain before the surgery? You say about your daughter being stubborn. I'm somewhat stubborn myself. I hate the thought of having others do for me. Plus, I'd like to recover as quickly as possible to get everything back to normal. I'm hoping I don't have to stay in the hospital like your daughter did, but if I do...I'll chalk it up as part of my recovery. Is your daughter back to doing everything she did pre-diagnosis or does she have limitations on what she can do? Thank you for the good luck wishes. I'm hoping my recovery time is as short as possible and that I can get back to the same level as I was before my injury.
 

Tom

Mar 13, 2014
222
0
Texas
Good luck with this. If surgery is recommended it will not be ideal to miss a season of field hockey, but when you are older and are able to play ball with your kids pain free, the time you lost now will seem trivial compared to the invaluable time you gain later.

Also, don't be timid about asking for references for the surgeon and do your homework on them before agreeing to let them operate on you.

If you haven't read it, pick up the book "Impossible Is Nothing, My Fight To Live A Softball Dream" by Beth Northway. It's an interesting and inspirational read about what all she dealt with to recover from multiple surgeries and ultimately having to teach herself how to become a lefty during her college career.
 
Jul 19, 2014
2,390
48
Madison, WI
That sounds like it was a nasty crash. I'm still nervous to get operated on...but I feel a little more at ease because I know I'll be able to return to playing sports. You say you still don't have 100% motion in your arm. Is that from the plate and screws or is it from the wrist injury? I'll be happy if I'm able to return to playing at the same level I was before the injury.

My wrist is stiff, and that is from the wrist injury. I assume the stiffness in my arm and the lack of 100% motion is due to the broken arm bones, and the metal plate put in there.

Again, when I say I don't have 100% motion, realize I have close to 99% motion, with the last 20% of that being a bit stiff. That was considered to be a truly fantastic result, and that was because I took the rehab very, very seriously, and did EVERYTHING I was told to do.

I know I sound like a broken record on this, when I say few people do all their exercises, and my success was because I was one of the rare people who did their exercises. If you want to return to playing sports, or even if you want full mobility when you are older, you will be one of the rare ones.

I have a feeling you will be one of the rare ones who excels in her rehab.
 
Oct 2, 2015
615
18
An elbow WILL NOT rehab like a wrist...
If your ligaments aren't torn in your elbow, a surgery should be carefully scrutinized...
They make piles of money off of unneeded or unnecessary procedures.

I broke my humerus near my elbow, and the only advice on a broken elbow I can give you is... don't let your twitchy cousin Mitch cut your cast off a week early with your Grandpa's grinder! :D
The broken arm did nothing compared to the torn elbow ligaments....

The best advice I can give in regards to surgery is go to the absolute top Ortho Surgical outfit in the area...
Not the best one in your home town...the best one in a 200 mile radius...
Hell, I could have done a better job on my knee scope that the Dr. that literally got ran out of town did..
No second bests for your elbow! None!...
 
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softgabby

Gear Empress
Mar 10, 2016
1,073
83
Just behind home plate
An elbow WILL NOT rehab like a wrist...
If your ligaments aren't torn in your elbow, a surgery should be carefully scrutinized...
They make piles of money off of unneeded or unnecessary procedures.

I broke my humerus near my elbow, and the only advice on a broken elbow I can give you is... don't let your twitchy cousin Mitch cut your cast off a week early with your Grandpa's grinder! :D
The broken arm did nothing compared to the torn elbow ligaments....

The best advice I can give in regards to surgery is go to the absolute top Ortho Surgical outfit in the area...
Not the best one in your home town...the best one in a 200 mile radius...
Hell, I could have done a better job on my knee scope that the Dr. that literally got ran out of town did..
No second bests for your elbow! None!...

My break is within the last about 2 inches or so before the elbow on the lower part of my arm. I have a cast right now that is past my elbow. When we called the office in Philadelphia with the specialist, she wants me to bring my x-rays and MRIs with me...but she also said I might need new x-rays and MRIs from the orthopedic hospital there. She wants to also see if I've torn anything up in my elbow as well with the pain I've been having in there. It's not excruciating pain...but it's very annoying.

The Ortho I'm going to comes very highly regarded by both my primary care physician and the doctor I saw at the walk-in clinic. She also comes with very high recommendation from some people that I've spoken with that's been under her care. I was talking to a girl that I met at one of our away games that was wearing a brace on her left knee. She had totally blown out her ACL and went to he doctor I'm about to see and she had nothing but high praise for her. A girl on my field hockey team needed to have surgery on her ankle when she ruptured a bunch of ligaments. She had nothing but good things to say about the doctor I'm seeing. A bunch of different athletes from different sports around my area has had nothing but glowing reviews for her.
 
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